The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-23
THE TOBOGGANING SEASON OPENED
Merry Crowd Has Some Fine Sport on
the Slide at Athletic Park.

The tobogganing season opened in In
| dianapols last night, and by special invitation
of the Athletic Club merry crowd of young
people had exclusive of the slide erected on
the grounds at the corner of Tennessee and
Seventh streets. It was fine night for the
sport. and everything seemed to combine
to make the opening a success The slide,
just completed. worked to perfection. 1t
differs much from the one in last year, be-
ing larger and better equipped with tobogeans
The structure was examined by Fire Chief
Webster yesterday and pronounced perfectly
safe. 1t IS built after the fashion of the great
slides in the Northern cities The slide is located
in the southwestern part of the park, and is con-
structed of wood. firmly put together with iron
bolts. 1t is forty feet in height and one
hundred and six feet IN length, giving the slide
an incline of almost forty-five degrees. At the
top there is level floor ten feet square, from
where the toboggans are set off their swift
trip. The side contains three roadways, besides
a walk, and a roadway which the tobog-
gans pulled up. substantial railing has
been constructed each side of the slide max
ing it impossible for misguided tobogcan to
break from its course and endanger the life
of it's passengers by running off the slide A
diagonal roadway running from the foot of tine
structure to the northeast corner of the park
has been prepared, and ropes stretched along
each side of it to prevent spectators from get
ting in the way of the flying toboggans The
entire course of the track is well lighted with
Chinese lanterns, suspended from the ropes on
either side. 1t vas late last evening when the
water turned on the track, and CONSEQUENT
ly it not in perfect condition; still, the slide
slick enough to give rapid ride.
Bad as the condition of the track was
two toboggan would carry it the fence
at the northeastern corner of the ground, dis
lance of six hundred feet from the starting
point. The average time 1t takes to make the
trip from the start to the finish is ten seconds
1t is a tiresome walk back to the incline, and up
its one hundred steps, dragging a sled after you
but the sensation of the ride well repays the
work. Its the walk back that makes the sport
heathful," said one of the managers last night.
Ladies sometimes complain of it at first, but
after they have taken few rides they don't
think of the work. It's the most invigoratipe
sport that can be INDUCED in, and if a man or
woman wants to become strong they should
spend an hour tobogganing every day"
Aren't beginners timio about going up there
and being started off at such gait?"
Eyes, they generally are. but after they have
taken ride they ready for another and
after they have taken q few they never know
when to stop. Talk about baseball infatuating
a person. It's nowhere compared with tobog-
gaming"
There is not that attractiveness about the to-
boggau without snow that there is when under
covering of snow, and for that reason the pa
troDage dwindles when ice made by flooding the
road has to be used With good road bed of
well packed snow the ride is also much swifter
and in every way much more enjoyable. The
slide will be open to the public day and night
from now until after the holidays. School chill
dren will be given exclusive use of it during the
off